Training
Training in reproductive biology and women's health research is available for clinical researchers, pre-doctoral students, and postdoctoral fellows. Besides the research programs of each of the faculty, trainees participate in weekly journal clubs and work-in-progress meetings, a seminar series with visiting scientists, and annual research retreats of the Center for Women's Health and Reproductive Medicine. Trainees are also encouraged to present their research in other local conferences, as well as national and international scientific meetings.
Clinical: Medical Student, Resident, and Fellowship Research Opportunities
The Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology has a longstanding commitment to education. Our residency and fellowship training programs have an excellent reputation for providing a wide range of clinical experiences as well as exposure to research methodology and training. We encourage residents and fellows to participate in clinical and basic research studies and to present papers at national meetings. We also participate in teaching medical students as part of the Penn medical school curriculum. The faculty is committed to training the next generation of academic generalists, sub-specialists, and physician-scientists in obstetrics and gynecology. Our graduates are prepared to provide the highest quality care to women and to excel in translational research.
Predoctoral Training
Individuals wishing to obtain advanced degrees should investigate the many graduate programs administered by the Biomedical Graduate Studies program. Each of the training faculty is a member of one or more interdepartmental graduate groups offering degrees in many biomedical fields.
Predoctoral candidates must meet the requirements for admission to one of the graduate groups administered by the Biomedical Graduate Studies program of the University of Pennsylvania. Applicants must also apply and be accepted for graduate study through the Biomedical Graduate Studies program.
Postdoctoral Training
Postdoctoral applicants must hold a doctoral degree (Ph.D., M.D., or V.M.D.). Admission to the program will be decided by the faculty. Past academic achievements, letters of recommendation, aptitude for research, and statements of interests are important aspects of the decision process.
Inquiries regarding admission to the postdoctoral program should be addressed to specific faculty members. For a listing, please visit the Faculty tab. Admission to the program is based upon the applicant's qualifications, availability of support, and the identification of an appropriate mentor.
Financial Support
Funding for training in the program is available from a variety of public and private sources. The CWHRM currently has a grant to support the Penn Women's Reproductive Health Research (WRHR) Career Development Center that trains and mentors obstetrician-gynecologists (5K12HD001265). In fact, many of the program's trainees have been successful in obtaining their own fellowship funding from various organizations. In addition, research grants to individual faculty members may provide funding for the training of predoctoral and postdoctoral scientists.
CWHRM faculty are invested in the education of young scientists, too!
Check out the Penn Medicine News blog post "The Legacy of PARS" to see how Christos Coutifaris, MD, and Monica Mainigi, MD, helped introduce a cohort of high school students to the study of reproductive health at the 2019 Penn Academy For Reproductive Sciences workshop.